Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the LAMP stack. Conversely, not all free open-source software is written
for the LAMP environment—many such applications are created to oper-
ate within commercial software environments such as Apple's OS-X or
Microsoft's popular Windows platform.
Openly sha red source code ha s spaw ned hundreds of versions of popu-
lar technologies, such as the more than 700 versions of Linux that are cur-
rently identified. Unlike commercial application vendors such as IBM's
WebSphere and z/OS or Microsoft's Windows environments, many busi-
nesses operating within the open-source space generate a revenue stream
by providing support and updates to free products. Because an open-
source enterprise may make use of products produced by hundreds of
different developers, the greatest cost to operating this type of enterprise
is often the effort needed to get all the pieces to work together.
Businesses that must identify all intellectual property used in their
enterprise due to regulatory mandates such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002 may need to dedicate effort toward identifying the source of
application code elements used within the open-source community, and
will want to identify alternatives in the event that a developer decides
to sell a popular product to a commercial vendor or ceases to work on
the application.
Because each piece is created by a different developer or group, the
interface may seem complex to users who are more accustomed to a stan-
dard look and feel as present in commercial application suites; however,
user training and the selection of standard solutions can minimize the
impact of this variation. Implementing an architecture based on FOSS
technologies may also encounter resistance from users who rely on alter-
native devices such as screen readers, Braille displays, and eye-tracking
control devices, which are not always compatible with some program-
ming styles. Alternate character sets may also pose issues for some FOSS
applications moved into a global space, depending on the skill of the indi-
vidual programmer.
Wa rning:
Not all open-source efforts meet approval based solely on the
lack of licensing fees. When the Commonwealth of Massachusetts decided
on the OpenOffice FOSS application suite, lobbying groups representing
residents with disabling conditions brought up many barriers to using the
open-source solutions.
